US 12,493,121 B2
High resolution lidar scanning
Harry Michael Cronin, Cambridge (GB); Christopher John Wright, London (GB); Phil Peter Catton, Cambridge (GB); and William Schnabel, Surrey (GB)
Assigned to Nokia Technologies Oy, Espoo (FI)
Filed by Nokia Technologies Oy, Espoo (FI)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/586,132.
Claims priority of application No. 21154534 (EP), filed on Feb. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0244392 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 17/894 (2020.01); G01S 7/4863 (2020.01); G01S 7/4865 (2020.01); G01S 17/26 (2020.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/894 (2020.01) [G01S 7/4863 (2013.01); G01S 17/26 (2020.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01); G01S 7/4865 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a laser projector configured to direct a plurality of laser beams toward an area of interest, wherein a first one of the plurality of laser beams follows a first laser beam path comprising a direct laser beam path from the laser projector to the area of interest, and a second one of the plurality of laser beams follows a second laser beam path comprising a reflected laser beam path from the laser projector to a reflective surface disposed at a location relative to the apparatus then toward the area of interest;
a photodetector configured to detect:
a first scattered light scattered in the area of interest in response to the direct laser beam path being incident on the area of interest; and
a second scattered light scattered in the area of interest in response to the reflected laser beam path being incident on the area of interest;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code,
the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
determine first signal characteristics of the detected first scattered light caused by the direct laser beam path being incident on the area of interest;
determine second signal characteristics of the detected second scattered light caused by the reflected laser beam path being incident on the area of interest; and
compute a depth map corresponding to the area of interest based on the first and second signal characteristics;
wherein the first one of the plurality of laser beams is configured to originate from a first portion;
the second one of the plurality of laser beams is configured to originate from the first portion;
the reflective surface is disposed on a second portion;
an angle of the reflective surface relative to the first portion is configured to be adjusted by a user to each of a plurality of angles during a scan of interest; and
the computing of the depth map corresponding to the area of interest is also based on the plurality of angles.